Hefbrug Gouwesluis, Vertical-lift bridge in Alphen aan den Rijn, Netherlands
The Hefbrug Gouwesluis is a vertical-lift bridge spanning the Gouwe river with steel lattice towers controlled remotely from the Bridge Control Center Steekterpoort. The structure uses hydraulic lifting mechanisms to raise the deck for vessel passage.
Built between 1937 and 1938 by Kloos en Zn from Kinderdijk, the structure replaced narrow drawbridges to handle vessels up to 2,000 tons on the Amsterdam-Rotterdam route. It was designed to meet the growing commercial traffic demands of the era.
The bridge holds national monument status since 2001, recognized alongside identical structures in Boskoop and Waddinxveen as testimony to 20th-century engineering craftsmanship. It represents the technical advancement of the Netherlands during the interwar period.
The operator can select three lifting heights of 12, 24, or 34 meters to accommodate vessels passing through, with the standard position set at 24 meters. Visitors should expect the bridge to close temporarily during operation for both pedestrians and vehicles.
During World War II, the bridge sustained damage from lightning strikes and bomb fragments, with repairs continuing until May 1945. Some of these war injuries remain visible on the structure today, telling a part of its wartime story.
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